Discuss the effects of observing filmed violence and pornography on social attitudes and relationships.

Explain how social traps and mirror-image perceptions fuel social conflict.

Describe the influence of proximity, physical attractiveness, and similarity on interpersonal attraction.

Explain the impact of physical arousal on passionate love and discuss how companionate love is nurtured by equity and self-disclosure.

Describe and explain the bystander effect and explain altruistic behavior in terms of social exchange theory and social norms.

Discuss effective ways of encouragingpeaceful cooperation and reducing social conflict.

Unit 11 OverviewThis unit demonstrates the powerful influences of social situations on the behavior of individuals. Central to this topic are research studies on attitudes and actions, conformity, compliance, and cultural influences. The social principles that emerge help us to understand how individuals are influenced by advertising, political candidates, and the various groups to which they belong. Although social influences are powerful, it is important to remember the significant role of individuals in choosing and creating the social situations that influence them.

The unit also discusses how people relate to one another, from the negative—developing prejudice, behaving aggressively, and provoking conflict—to the positive—being attracted to people who are nearby and/or similar and behaving altruistically. The chapter concludes with a discussion of techniques that have been shown to promote conflict resolution.

Although there is some terminology for you to learn in this unit, your primary task is to absorb the findings of the many research studies discussed. The chapter headings, which organize the findings, should prove especially useful to you here. In addition, you might, for each main topic (conformity, aggression, group influence, etc), ask yourself the question “What situational factors promote this phenomenon?” The research findings can then form the basis for your answers.